Valenwind Chronicles
by Mako Red Eyes
Summary: A handful of short stories focused on Cid and Vincent... ShonenaiYaoi. Story 3: Turk Vincent meets a young Cid... Story 4: Cid claustrophobic? Nope. just nervous.
1. Touch of Humanity

Okay. What this is, is what will be a series of short stories that have nothing to do with anything at all. EACH CHAPTER will be a DIFFERENT STORY. Don't miss this part or you're gunna be REALLY confused!!! They're all just little shorties, blurbs of ideas I've thought of... maybe I'll build off of them, maybe not. I dunno, but I figured this would be better than a million and one half-page-long seperate stories... shruggs As if you didn't need to hear this, I don't own anything FFVII related. Don't sue me, I'm just an obsessed fangirl with lots of stupid ideas in her head. .  
  
Read on  
  
Number One:  
Touch of Humanity  
  
"Okay: Nanaki and Cait Sith to one tent, Tifa and Yuffie, me 'n Barret, and Cid, you bunk with Vincent." Cloud pointed as he spoke, doling out a small tent kit for each group.  
"I have no problems with these arrangements, Cloud, but I need someone with opposable thumbs to help pitch out tent." Nanaki said thoughtfully with a sigh. Tifa laughed and left Yuffie to pitch their own tent while she managed Nanaki and Cait Sith's. Cloud and Barret wandered off to pitfch their own, and cid turned around to see his own nearly half way up already.  
"Hey! Whoa! Lemmie help ya there! Ya dun have to do it all on yer fuckin' own!" Cid cried, rushing to help Vincent.  
"…" Vincent remained silent a moment. "It is fine, Highwind. I can manage." "Yeah, but if we're sharin' the space, we should share the work. I'm helping." Cid insisted.  
"Fine…" Vincent worked in silence alongside Cid, letting the pilot help only because he had to. It was done quickly, and after a short meal with the rest of AVALANCHE, Vincent crawled into his and Cid's tent without a word.  
"What a mope!" Yuffie cried once the caped man had disappeared into the minor shelter. Her voice was loud enough to leave no doubt that Vincent had heard her.  
"Its's not as if we're very fucking nice to him, now are we?!" Cid demanded. "I don't blame him for moping one bit! Hell, I'd mope if people looked at me funny, callin' me shit like 'Vampire' and 'Mope' too!" Cid finished, leaving Yuffie and the rest in a stunned silence. He stood. "Anyway, I'm hittin the sack- I'm beat… But if I hear any more shit talk about /anyone/ I'm gunna come back out here and I ain't gunna be no fuckin' ray of sunshine." He added sternly, walking towards his tent. Before entering, he turned and smiled. "Sweet dreams, kids." he said in a sugary-sweet singsong voice, then disappeared inside.  
Vincent lay huddled against the fall wall of the tent, inside. He was curled up as if cold, or perhaps just unhappy.  
"You didn't have to defend me, Highwind." He said softly. Cid shrugged.  
"Well, I did. 'S about time you were treated better by these people anyway." Cid declared. Vincent sighed.  
"It does not matter." "Sure it does!" Cid argued. He squeezed into his sleeping bag and tensed. His proximity to Vincent was a little too close for normal comfort. "huh…" He muttered. "Kind'a tight spaced in here, isn't it?" Vincent sighed forlornly in response, pressing against the far wall to give Cid some more space.  
"Sorry." Vincent said softly. Cid sighed.  
"Not yer fault, so dun worry about it, okay?" There was a pause as Cid peeled off his shirt, tossing at his feet where his and Vincent's boots already lay in a heap. "Ya dun kick or nutt'in, do ya?" He added, hoping to lighten the mood just a little, but Vincent didn't respond, being already half asleep. Cid heaved a sigh, and turning his back to Vincent's, dozed off to sleep himself.  
  
Cid was a heavy sleeper by mature, usually unshakable until he was darned ready to get up himself, but when Vincent began to whimper lightly in his sleep, Cid was instantly awake, propped up on one elbow to stare down at his comrade through the darkness. Vincent thrashed a little, cried out softly, and then sat up suddenly with a terrified scream. Cid's heart nearly leapt clean out of his mouth in the shock of fear that hit him. Vincent sat stiffly, eyes wide and unseeing, mouth open in terror. Cid's fear melted into adrenaline and he quickly grabbed Vincent by the shoulders, shaking the thin frame firmly.  
"Vin! Wake up, man!" He muttered, giving Vincent one last jolt. Vincent cried out again, jumping, but his eyes focused and he turned to look at Cid numbly, then broke down into uncontrollable sobs.  
Stunned, Cid did his best to comfort Vincent, letting Vincent hold onto his wrist in a two-handed death grip -ignoring the lines of blood carved into his skin by Vincent's claw- until the man calmed down and sank shakily back into reality.  
"Hey, its okay now, shh… It was just a nightmare, you're okay." Cid assured softly, and eventually, Vincent relaxed, heaving a sigh, shoulders going limp.  
"I'm…sorry…" He said softly, finally letting go of Cid and looking away in shame.  
"Hey, no problem." Cid said softly. "Are you okay now, thought? You had me really worried there." Vincent let out a shaky breath. "Yes. I'm fine." He flinched as Cid touched his shoulder carefully. Cid sighed sadly.  
"You're shaking, Vincent." He said gently. "Look, maybe not right now… but if you ever need to talk or anything else, I'm here, okay? I ain't gunna hold nuttin' against ya." Vincent's head snapped around and he gave Cid a weird stare. Cid returned his gaze evenly, eyes warm but serious. "How can you even begin to imagine that…?" Vincent asked mournfully. "How can you fool yourself that there's any glimpse of humanity left in me? I'm a monster: I don't deserve the spark of comfort you offer me." Cid could see fresh tears forming in Vincent's eyes.  
"Don't you think you've suffered, alone, for long enough?" Cid asked softly. Vincent pinched his eyes shut as if in great pain.  
"Nothing will ever be enough." He replied in a whisper.  
"I don't believe that." Cid said, suddenly firm. "I think you've paid far more than your due. I won't profess to know you so well, because I don't: But just from looking into your eyes, I can see you've been through more than your share. Vincent looked away again.  
"No…Not for a monster like me…" "You are NOT a monster!" Cid cried, gripping Vincent by the shoulders and turning him forcefully to face himself. "Monsters don't wake up in the night screaming in terror, Vincent!" Cid kept his grip on Vincent, going on. "Yeah, I've seen what's livin' inside of you, but /that's not you/. You're better than those things! Don't let them or anything else ever keep you from being happy, or you're just wasting your life." "I don't even /want/ to live, Highwind" Vincent confessed. "I've tried, so many times, to just be finished, but it just never works. The demons or the mako or some other mistake always 'saves' me." He went on mournfully.  
"Vincent…" "No matter what I try -and I've tried it all- I end up waking up just fine. I've tried everything: cutting myself, bullets…I even jumped off a cliff a few mornings ago, but Chaos took over before I could even hit the ground and flew me right back to where I'd started….All I want is to end, but I can't even do that…" Vincent's voice caught in his throat, choking him lightly. He turned out of Cid's grip. "Look, lets just get back to sleep." With that, Vincent was back down in his sleeping bag, his back to Cid, and silent. Cid lay back as well, but did not sleep very well, the image of Vincent's terrified face floating in his mind.  
  
The next day, AVALANCHE broke camp and went on. Cid didn't mention Vincent's nightmare, nor his confessions of repeated suicide attempts to anyone. Vincent, even quieter than usual, didn't mention anything at all.  
"C'mon, Vinnie!" Yuffie badgered, bouncing around the silent man as they walked together in a large group. "Say /something!/" Vincent looked irritated and tried to ignore the bouncy child. "C'mon! SaySomething!SaySomething!SaySomething!SaySomething!!!" Yuffie shouted, right up into Vincent's pale face. Vincent heaved a sigh.  
"Something." He said flatly. Yuffie paused, blinking.  
"…Hey! That's /so/ not what I meant!" Yuffie went to tug on Vincent's cloak, and he spun on her, claw-arm snapping up in warning, his crimson eyes flashing.  
"Hey! Brat!" Cid called back. "He's not some dog to poke at with a fucking stick! Grow up a little and leave the poor man alone!" Yuffie glared balefully at Cid, but bounded up to harass him instead of Vincent. Cid looked back and shot Vincent a grin just before stealthily tripping Yuffie with the butt end of his spear. Yuffie went down with a yelp, landing face first into the ground in a cloud of dust. No one saw Vincent crack a small smile.  
"That was a cheap trick, you crusty old creep!" Yuffie yelled, getting up.  
"Hey! Yo knock it off now, got it?!" Barret yelled back. "/Both/ of ya foos!" Yuffie sank back, sulking. Cid grinned, noticing that some of the shadow over Vincent had lifted.  
  
During the drowsy dinner by campfire that night, Yuffie finally had decided that she could spare Vincent her constant harassment and the whole of AVALANCHE was allowed a few rare moments of peace. Cid yawned, stretching lazily. "I'm beat…" He yawned, standing from his rather cold seat on a large boulder. "Time fer my beauty sleep…" He said as he wandered off towards his tent, again shared with Vincent. Behind him, Yuffie snorted humorlessly at his joke.  
"There ain't nuttin' that'll ever be beautiful about you, you stinky old mechanic!" Cid turned around and shot Yuffie a smirk.  
"Oh, you know you want me!" He quipped. Yuffie's eyes went wide.  
"Eeew! Yuck! Total grossness! Oh! Gall!" Cid laughed heartily at Yuffie's disgust, sauntering as he walked. Cid's head snapped around at the sound of a low chuckle right at his shoulder. "Holy shit!" Cid jumped, surprised by Vincent's sudden appearance. Vincent gave another soft, low chuckle. "You may not be beautiful, Highwind, but there was a certain grace in the way you jump and spin like that. Almost like ballet…" Vincent said softly, eerie eyes glittering. Cid stood in shocked silence, just outside the tent, eyes wide. "…Highwind…?" Vincent pressed, worried. Suddenly, Cid's face unfroze and he burst into laughter.  
"Sweet planet, I think I just had a fucking heart attack!" He paused to laugh more. "Damn… do my ears decieve me or was that a joke you just cracked?!" Vincent gave a soft snort in response.  
"In the tent, Highwind. I'm tired." Cid turned to shoot Vincent a smile, then dove in, Vincent crawling in after him. Again, Vincent moved to the back of the little tent, gingerly stepping over Cid's legs. Cid was still trying to pull off his boots by the time the gunman beside him had fallen firmly asleep. Cid shot Vincent a small smile, and settled down for sleep himself.  
  
And it seemed like only a split second later, though it really had been hours, that Cid was awake once more, to the sound of screaming. He was alert instantly, hand's on Vincent's shoulders, shaking the man.  
"Vin! Vincent! Snap out of it, man!" Vincent jumped, nearly attacking Cid before suddenly going limp, the crimson glow of his wide, frightened eyes dimming. "Cid…" He choked, then sighed. "I'm sorry…" Cid sighed, reaching out again to touch Vincent. Vincent flinched away. "Don't… I know you mean only good, but please, don't." He said softly as Cid dropped his hand. Vincent sat in silence, shivering. "…every…night…." He whispered.  
"Huh?" "The same thing every night… I won't blame you if you want to sleep alone tomorrow night…" "No. I'm fine." Cid answered. Vincent sighed sadly, sinking back down into bed, eyes still wide and scared. "Can't sleep it off?" Cid asked gently.  
"I'm pretty used to it." Vincent mumbled. "There's no helping it." Cid shifted a little, thinking.  
"Ya know…" He began carefully, "I've never been real good with dealing with other people, or their issues, in any aspect, but I remember some advice Shera gave me once… She told me to trust whatever my heart and my gutt told me, just like when I'm flying or doin' some other stupid stunt…." Vincent lifted his head to look over at Cid. "This may probably won't be your cup of tea, but I have a hunch…" "…What do you mean?" Vincent asked softly.  
"…What I mean is it kills me to see you waking up so terrified every night. I don't mind being woken up myself, I sleep too much anyway, but to see anyone suffer so much… I wanna try something." He said, finally laying back, facing Vincent.  
"…If you must…" Vincent said nervously. Cid swallowed.  
"Sorry, this is going to be a little weird…" He began.  
"Huh---ah! Cid!" Cid had lunged foreword, pulling Vincent's body against his firmly, hugging the thin man around the shoulders. Vincent had gone stiff, fighting Cid's grip.  
"Yeah, yeah… look, try to relax. If you can't stand it, fine, but try it, okay? I know it's weird, and trust me, if I thought I could find anyone else like Tifa or Yuffie -god forbid that little monster- I would for ya…" Cid hadn't let go of Vincent. His skin crawled in protest to his sudden intimacy with the man, but he had this overwhelming hunch that this was what Vincent needed. Vincent hadn't relaxed. "Look… I just…have this hunch…If it doesn't work, fine: but I've survived my life on trusting my hunches, and this will be no different." "You're crazy, Highwind." Vincent mumbled, almost sourly, but began to relax into Cid's awkward embrace.  
"Thanks." Cid replied cheerily. Vincent shivered and he pulled the man a little closer, cradling his head against his shoulder. Vincent finally relaxed fully, melting slightly.  
"…Cid…" "Eh?" "…Thank you…" With that, Vincent finally fell asleep. Cid watched the man cuddled up against him in awe for a moment before heaving a shaky sigh and dozing off himself. This is too weird…/  
Cid had proved his point, however, when Vincent awoke, still wrapped loosely in Cid's arms, rested and refreshed and nightmare free for the remainder of the night. Cid woke a little more groggily to Vincent poking at him.  
"Wake up, Highwind, I have to move." He said softly, shaking Cid awake. Cid snorted, azure eyes peeling open blearily.  
"…eh…fuck you…" He mumbled incoherently. Vincent chuckled. "No thanks, now wake up!" He banged his head against Cid's chest firmly -his hands were stuck under his body- causing the pilot to grunt, and sit up, freeing Vincent. "thank you…" He mumbled, sitting up himself. Cid seemed to have finally come around.  
"Huh… didja' sleep okay?" He asked concernedly. Vincent smiled weakly.  
"Yeah… heh…I did." "Sorry. Was kinda weird, huh?" Cid said apologetically.  
"Was worth it…Thank you." Vincent said. Cid blinked. "Huh… well good…" They rose to greet the day in silence from there, finally emerging to greet the rest of AVALANCHE as well.  
  
Again, that evening, the group was left to sleep in their assigned tents.  
"Shit…man, what I wouldn't give for a fuckin hotel…" Cid muttered as he sank stiffly back into his sleeping bag. "One more rock in my back and I swear I'm gunna fuckin beat Sephiroth to destroyin' the world…" Vincent chuckled softly as he followed Cid into the tent, shaking his head in awe.  
"You're insane." "Your point?" Cid asked, carefully snuffing out a burnt-down cigarette on his shoe before tossing it out the open tent flap as Vincent came in. Vincent shook his head again, ignoring Cid's arrogance. A few minutes later, Cid paused as he sank down to sleep, spotting his companion still sitting up, eyes distant and unfocused, and drawn around the edges. "Hey man, what's wrong?" He asked gently. Vincent sighed.  
"I don't want to live through more nightmares, is all…" Vincent said softly.  
"…ya know," Cid began. "It might just be an old wife's tale, but they say that if you talk about a repeating nightmare to someone else it wont' come back or bother ya anymore…" Vincent snorted softly.  
"I suppose so, but these aren't things I feel prepared to talk about. They're more flashbacks than nightmares, exactly, and it's a part of me I can't reveal just yet…" He said, almost apologetically. Cid shrugged.  
"Okay, sure, I don't blame ya." He said lightly. Vincent sighed, sinking back against his pillow. Cid rolled over to look at his friend, glowing crimson eyes lighting both their faces just enough to make out key features in the dark. Vincent's eyes were wide: he was dreading sleep. Cid sighed. "C'mere, Vin." He said, reaching his arms out to the other man. Vincent hesitated, then scooted closer to Cid, letting the pilot pull him up and wrap strong arms around his waist and shoulder. Vincent managed to relax pretty quick this time. He let his forehead drop to rest just above Cid's collar bone, Cid's chin on his head.  
"…This is… actually kind of… …nice…." Vincent admitted softly. He winced lightly as he felt Cid tense a little. "its just that…I haven't been given a hint of comfort from anyone in so long…" He amended, hoping he didn't sound too…off. Cid laughed lightly, actually subconsciously hugging Vincent a little closer for a split second.  
"Yeah, I bet. Well… all it takes some times is a touch of humanity, I guess…" Vincent nodded as best he could, agreeing.  
  
With the sun the next morning, again Cid and Vincent floated back into consciousness. This time, however, things went slower. Cid was already awake when Vincent awoke after a full, peaceful night's rest, eyes hazy with sleep and an almost foreign security.  
"Hey, he wakes again by dawn.." Cid quipped, grinning down at Vincent, still cuddled up against his chest. The awkwardness of the situation had left Cid the night before when Vincent had admitted his appreciation of the gesture. Cid didn't care that it might be weird, or awkward, or taboo or whatever, Vincent was his friend and he cared about the man, and did not want to see him in any more pain. So he'd done what he could, and it had worked. It made Cid's heart warm and sort of swell with a type of happiness that perhaps was more for Vincent than himself, which is what made it so sweet. Vincent smiled sleepily up at him.  
"Sort of…" He mumbled, letting his head drop back to Cid's chest. Cid chuckled. "Well, that was funny." He said.  
"What was?" Vincent asked, voice muffled against Cid's chest.  
"That sleepy grin of yours. Never seen ya smile at all, let alone something that candid." He commented. Vincent shrugged.  
"…Whatever…" He started to doze back to sleep. The tent rustled, and Cid spun his head around to look over at the tent flap behind him in time for Barret to poke his head in. Brown eyes went wide as Barret realized he was seeing his two /male/ teammates curled up together like lovers. Cid's eyes flashed in warning for Barret to keep quiet. Fortunately, the leader of AVALANCHE was too stunned to argue. Vincent had sensed the third party by now, and started to look up in alarm, but Cid caught his head, holding it flat against their pillows.  
"Relax, and don't look. I'll work this out…" Cid said sternly, shooting a look up at Barret that would have made Sephiroth piss those expensive leather pants of his. Cid spared another glance to make sure Vincent had obeyed him - the smaller man's vision had been blocked by his own broad shoulders, much to Cid's relief. With a grunt, he climbed out of his sleeping bag and threw it over Vincent. He looked over at Barret. "You. Me. Outside. Now." Barret turned and hurried back out, Cid following. Once the tent flap had fallen shut again, Vincent sat up suddenly feeling worried. He knew it must have looked awful… He hoped Cid wouldn't be mad.  
  
Cid led Barret out past the rest of the tents, beyond earshot to Vincent or anyone else who might overhear. He paused, and turned back on Barret.  
"Okay, What?" He said tersely, still glaring at Barret, whose mouth was working silently as if he /really/ wanted to say something.  
"What th' 'ell was goin' on in dere?!" He asked in a hoarse whisper. Cid heaved an irritated sigh.  
"Aint' what yer fuckin' thinking, that's fer sure!" Cid growled. He sighed, calming down a little. "Look… Vincent's been wakin' up /screamin'/ every night…" Barret's face softened slightly, and Cid went on. "I had 'ta do something for him.." He smiled crookedly. "He was wakin' me up every fuckin' night!" Barret chuckled at Cid's obvious cover up. Cid laughed lightly too.  
"Yo ah fuckin softie, Cid!" Cid shrugged.  
"Yeah…well, its helpin'… and yeah, its kinda weird, but…" he shrugged again, uncertain. "Look, just forget about it, alright. It doesn't concern you, 'n I'm just helping a friend." Cid said.  
"Yeah, okay. No problem, pal." Barret said, nodding. "Sorry 'ta bother yo." He began to wander off, and Cid sighed. "Might's well get yoselves up now, though." Barret added over his shoulder. "We gotta get goin'." Cid nodded, and wandered off back to his tent as well.  
He slipped back in to see Vincent sitting up, eyes hurt and worried. Cid came down next to Vincent, giving the man a slight hug.  
"Hey…" He began, sitting back. "You alright, Vin?" Vincent looked up at him.  
"Are you…? Who--?" He began.  
"It doesn't matter. But don't worry, they understood what was goin' on as soon as I explained it all.." Vincent blinked, then looked away abruptly.  
"I'm sorry…I'm going to ruin your image…" "Naaah!" Cid argued. "There ain't nothin' that'll take out the good 'ol Highwind style!" He said, throwing a fist up into the air in triumph. Vincent snorted dryly, shooting Cid down. Cid laughed it off, grinning over at his friend. "Whaaat?" Vincent chuckled.  
"Nothing can take out your image because it's already hit rock bottom." Vincent said, smirking lightly. Cid's jaw dropped, and he laughed.  
"Damn, man. You got a wicked sense of humor!" He observed, shaking his head as if he'd been struck. "You oughta' turn that venom on that brat Yuffie or somethin'!" Vincent grinned.  
"Yeah…" He agreed. Somehow, though, Cid sensed that Vincent wasn't comfortable enough with any of the others to be mean to them. Somehow, that made him warm a little, proud that he'd gained Vincent's comfort. He could see already that the smiles, jokes and laughs that came along with their building friendship was a very precious gift that was very rarely given. By breakfast, Cid was whistling happily, despite Barret's weird stares, and as they walked later, his spear didn't seem quite as heavy as it had before, nor did the rest of him for that matter, a light bounce forming in his step.  
  
"Cid! Watch it, damn it!" Cid barely dodged a large pair of claws swiping at his face. He swore, and lunged, ignoring Cloud's shouted warning. He knew what he was doing. They all did. Beside him, Vincent lunged foreword, raising his weapon to shoulder level and firing off a volley of explosive rounds, sending the large monster that had ambushed them reeling backwards. It roared angrily and lunged at Vincent. Cid's world slowed down as he watched, a sudden horror hitting him as he saw Vincent lower his weapon, relax his stance, and stare the monster right in the eye, his own crimson eyes dull and empty.  
"SHIT!" Cid lunged, " Vincent, don't!" He tried to reach Vincent to pull the man out of the line of danger, or block the blow, or anything, but he was too slow on the uptake, and a large clawed hand swung down across Vincent's chest and abdomen, felling the man in one fell swoop. Vincent staggered back, collapsing.  
"Vincent!" Cloud spared a glance, before lunging in for the kill, moving in unison with Cid. Both men had hit their limit break, and a few seconds later, there wasn't much left of the monster except a large crater and a few bits of warty flesh. Without turning for a second glance, Cid tossed his spear aside, diving down to his knees beside Vincent, who was sprawled out on the ground in a pool of blood, staring up at him mildly. Vincent coughed, and spat out a small amount of blood, then returned his gaze up to Cid.  
"Vin…" Cid scooped Vincent up, cradling the pale form against his shoulder. Vincent winced, in pain, but didn't say anything.  
"Highwind--" Vincent began, slightly irritated.  
"TIFA! RESTORE! NOW!" Cid bellowed, cutting Vincent off. Tifa came running, along with the rest of the group, skidding to a halt where Cid knelt with Vincent, a small ball of green light already forming around her closed fist.  
"No. Wait." Vincent said, voice clear and firm. "Can't you see I want this, Cid?" He said, turning dull eyes up on his friend. "I have nothing to live for, let me go!" Above them, Tifa and a few others gave startled gasps. "I let that thing hit me, now spare me the agony of being defeated /again!/." Cid's eyes hardened.  
"No. No, Vin." He cradled Vincent's head against his shoulder, clutching the man to himself. "Let me try and find something for you to live for. Don't give up just yet… Just… just… don't… leave me…Vin…" Cid said softly. "…please?" He added. Vincent had looked up at him sharply, eyes watering.  
"Cid…. Ah!" He gasped, clutching his side in pain, then glanced back up at Cid, and nodded. Tifa was right on it, having been watching carefully.  
"Let him down, Cid…" She said softly, encouraging Cid to release Vincent with a gentle touch to his arm. Cid jumped a little, but carefully lay Vincent down again, exposing the growing bloodstain that smeared both their fronts now. He kept one hand on Vincent's shoulder, though, not quite willing to break contact. Tifa nodded. "Hang on, guys." With that, she cast the spell, green light bathing Vincent in its soft glow for a moment before fading, Vincent sitting up slowly. He looked over to Cid.  
"Cid…relax…I'm fine now.." He said, noticing the fear in Cid's expressive blue eyes… as well as a few tears. Cid blinked, and lunged foreword, pulling Vincent up roughly against him, cradling him there against his chest.  
"Don't you…. /ever/ do that to me again, Vin…" Cid said, voice shaking. Cloud, who had been standing by, watching carefully, raised an eyebrow. Vincent let Cid cling, face tilted into the collar of his flight jacket. Cid had paused, waiting for an answer. "Vincent!" His voice actually cracked this time, and Vincent had to pull away to look at Cid. He was alarmed to see the usually gruff man had tears in his eyes.  
"You really care about me that much?" Vincent asked, awestruck. Cid looked aghast.  
"Well, /yeah!/ You're my friend!" He said passionately.  
"Perhaps a bit more, Cid?" Tifa said gently from behind the two. Cid stiffened lightly, turning to look up at Tifa in surprise, and perhaps a hint of alarm. "C'mon, Cid." Vincent said gently, standing and pulling Cid up with him. He shot Tifa a gentle but meaningful look.  
"Cloud?" Tifa called, turning away from the odd couple. Cloud jumped -he'd been mentally somewhere between Gaia and outer space.  
"Yeah?" "Can we rest for the day? I think this was rough on everyone, and Restore Materia or not, Vincent should rest up after such a nasty wound." Cloud nodded quickly. It was a well known fact that whatever Tifa asked of the young warrior, he would do, whether it be step to one side, or step off a cliff.  
"Yeah. Sure thing. Lets get a way from this corpse, though." He said, gesturing to the gore-splattered crater just behind him. There were several disgusted sounds as AVALANCHE tip-toed through the muck to a grassy meadow upwind by a hundred or so yards. It was actually a rather pretty area, skirted by trees and a small stream that made for a relaxing evening for the group. He worked in silence as he pitched their tent, anxious because Vincent kept shooting him strange glances, even as Tifa's words kept spinning around in Cid's head, making his mind reel. He wasn't sure about himself for the first time in years, and it had set him terribly off balance. He sighed heavily as they finished anchoring the tent , and looked up in time to see the rest of AVALANCHE, save himself and Vincent, wandering off down towards the creek. Tifa turned to him and waved. Cid glanced over at Vincent, and back to the retreating bodies. She's giving us a chance to talk alone…Cid wasn't sure he liked that notion or not, but when he turned around again, he realized that Vincent had come to the exact same conclusion, as the slender man was standing beside him, watching him intently.  
"I think she's right." Vincent said softly after a moment of watching Cid flounder mentally.  
"Huh?" Cid's eyes went wide and his face flushed a little as he turned to look at Vincent. Vincent smiled softly.  
"I said, I think Tifa is right." He said, voice soft. Cid felt his heart skip.  
"Uh…whadaya mean…?" Cid stammered. Vincent smiled again.  
"…You know… nobody…all my life…has ever extended their hand in friendship to me…sure…I had teammates, coworkers…they all put up with me, whatever… but… no ones' ever really… well…gave a shit." Cid started.  
"What?!" Cid wanted to hit something…but not Vincent, so he simply yelled instead. "Well, /I/ give a shit!" Vincent smiled at Cid's outburst.  
"I know you do, Cid… And I'm very touched…" Vincent leaned in, carefully pulling Cid up to him in a gentle, cautious embrace. Cid gasped a little, but after a moment, leaned into Vincent's shoulder, sighing. Vincent held him there for a moment, before pulling back slightly. "Cid…" Cid looked up into Vincent's face. Vincent stared down into his eyes for a moment, smiling, before carefully tilting his head just enough to kiss Cid, ever so lightly, on the forehead. "Thank you." He turned away just as quickly, giving Cid his space, if it was needed. Vincent feared he might have pushed his luck with the usually gruff man, and judging by the gasp that had slipped from Cid's lips, he'd certainly surprised the pilot. Suddenly he didn't have the courage to witness Cid's reaction.  
"…Vincent…" It was barely a whisper, and had Vincent not had enhanced hearing, along with the rest of his senses, he likely would not have heard Cid's breathy response. Vincent turned back to Cid, worried, but somehow encouraged by the unmistakable tone in Cid's voice, soft as it suddenly was. Cid was reaching out to him, perhaps unconsciously, hand wavering near his own. Vincent took that hand, and held it gently as Cid pulled him back to within inches of each other. "What…." Cid began, voice shaking. "What do you want to live for…what can I give you to make you happy…?" Vincent smiled "Your friendship is good enough, Cid." Vincent said softly.  
"…Can…can I give you more than friendship?" Cid asked. His hand in Vincent's was shaking. Vincent pulled Cid the rest of the distance between them, eyes boring down into azure windows to Cid's soul. He lifted Cid's face, and could see thin veins under the man's jaw throbbing with his racing pulse.  
"You're shaking, Cid." "Vin…" "Yes?" "Please, don't tease me." Cid said softly. Vincent smiled gently. okay.Cid read the word in Vincent's eyes, and his face relaxed a little. Vincent raised his hand to touch Cid's face, causing the pilot to shiver and close his eyes.  
"Open your eyes." Cid obeyed, eyes opening just in time to watch Vincent's face dip down to his, soft, thin lips brushing his a split second later. Cid gasped, startled, but instead of pulling away, he pulled Vincent closer. I didn't know… it could be like this…He was acting solely on instinct, and as terrifying as it was, it was thrilling. Vincent pulled away, keeping the kiss gentle and polite, and looked down at Cid, who was gaping, speechless and flushed. "Was that… okay?" Vincent asked gently. Cid's eyes widened, but then sparkled as he smiled a little.  
"Yeah. I dun know what the hell to say, but… yeah. That was okay."  
  
End.  
  
AN: Okay... Yeah, I know, I have a lot of unfinished stuff floating around out there right now... But I'm hitting a rough part of my life right now -just had my /first/ day of college today (ooh...scary... lol. it was actually kinda fun) and my boyfriend of six years (we've been happily together since junior high) is moving about three hours away from home to go to school as well. we're not broke up or anything -absense makes the heart grow fonder, ne?- but I've had a hard time focusing on anything solid. So... here's some shorties to hold everyone over. yeah, I just sat down and did both of these tonight. a couple of ideas I thought up and couldn't fix into another fic. (don't worry, they're not abandoned, just put on hold because I just can't focus that hard)  
Again, sorry to all my readers that I've just sorta... well, dropped off the planet the last week or so. . I tried, I really did. So here's some sweeties for ya all. The next shortie isn't very significant, in any aspect. just another dumb idea that didn't go anywhere, but its kinda cute... so.. .shruggs you've been warned. not my best writing. just cute shonen ai fluff. (gotta love that crap, lol :) )  
Smoochies  
M.R.E 


	2. Safe Haven

WARNING!: THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CHAPTER ONE! IT IS A /SEPERATE/ STORY! THESE ARE SHORT STORIES CLUSTERED simply on the shonen-ai theme! Nothing else! Blaaaah! =P  
Disclaimer: as if you haven't heard it and hate it all. . (at least I'm remembering to mention it now, though, lol)  
  
Number 2:  
Safe Haven  
  
"Freak!" "Monster!" "Yea! Get the hell out of our town!" "Go away!" "You don't belong here! Leave!" "Weirdo!!"  
  
Vincent ducked his head as he walked, trying to ignore the angry calls as he cut through the town. He always got this: So long as anyone anywhere got a look at his face, he was instantly treated like the freak he was. He wasn't going to stay long here… He needed ammunition and supplies…if anyone would sell it to him, and he would be gone by dusk. Hopefully, he wouldn't find anyone he knew… Vincent winced as there was another scream.  
"Vampire!" "Get away from my children, damnit!" Vincent looked away, ashamed.  
"I am sorry…" He said softly as he tried to give the family some space.  
"If you're so fucking sorry, then get the hell out of here!" "Yea!" Vincent hurried off, trying to ignore the calls. It saddened him to be chased out almost before he arrived. He loved this town, thought it was so safe and beautiful, carefully nestled against rolling hills and mountains, wedged between meadows and forests, the ocean not far off… He glanced towards the edge of town. It looked broken, unfinished without the old SinRa No. 26 Rocket towering over it… "We don't allow monsters into Rocket Town, so get the hell out!" Vincent's throat closed. That one stung…  
  
Cid Highwind stopped in mid-step, the tune he'd been whistling cutting off short in mid-note as he paused to glance at an angry mob a block over. He'd been walking down to the store to get some more tea, but it wasn't often such an obvious disturbance hit his peaceful little town: Sure, it had its share of bar fights - he himself had started most of them, but this… the yells he could just hear but not make out had an animalistic tone to them. Turning on his heel and changing direction, Cid wandered up to investigate.  
"Get out!" "Freak!" Cid frowned as he started to hear the calls, by both men and women. The hell is causin' such shit mayhem in my town?!Cid strode up, breaking the crowd, gaze following the turned heads around him. Cid's eyes widened.  
"Holy Fuckin Meteor!" He whispered in surprise. "Damn…This is awful…" There was no mistaking Vincent's figure, half hidden in shadows, still clad in the same sweeping red cloak as always, even after several years since AVALANCHE had broken up. Thinking fast, Cid hurried down a side street, going up ahead of Vincent and the mob harassing the gunslinger by a block, and doubling back down the street they were on to meet the man.  
Walking jauntily, Cid pretended not to have noticed the mob as he paused at the corner, dropping the tin box he'd been carrying so that it clattered loudly. Several head's turned and the yelling stopped as Cid bent down with an audible 'whoops' to pick it up. He stood, and made a play of noticing Vincent.  
"Holy shit! Vin?! Vincent! That you?!" He yelled, watching as Vincent's head snapped up. Cid leapt up, running up to greet his old companion happily. "Holy shit, man! It /is/ you!" He clapped a stunned Vincent Valentine on the shoulder heartily. Vincent's eyes were wide in shock, but Cid shielded his expression with his own body. "Wow, man! Haven't seen you in /ages/ where've ya been?!" Vincent stuttered a little. "C'mon! Lets go down to my place for lunch! Ya must be fuckin starved, huh?!" Cid spoke loudly, making sure everyone around him heard the way their mayor greeted this so called 'monster.' Cid lead Vincent off down the street towards his own home, still jabbering at Vincent until they were down a block. Behind them, the crowd of hagglers were still watching after them in shock. Cid threw an arm around Vincent's shoulders, ignoring as the shadowy man winced at the touch. Cid shot a glare back once Vincent relaxed a little, and wasn't paying such close attention to Cid. "Hey man…" Cid said softly as they reached his home. "Why do you let people give you that kind of shit?" He dropped his arm, knowing that it made Vincent uncomfortable to be so close to others, and stepped away to look up at the man. Vincent sighed, looking away.  
"I am monster." He whispered.  
"Aw, cut that shit!" Cid said harshly. Vincent winced, and Cid mellowed his tone. "Hey… C'mon, lets have some tea, alright? Looks like you've had a rough day." Vincent nodded, following Cid inside the cool of his home. "SHEEEEEERAAAAA!" Vincent winced once again as Cid stomped into the house bellowing the woman's' name. Vincent had met Shera on only a couple of occasions, but on all of them, Cid had never treated the woman very well. Still, Shera came out smiling.  
"Yeah, Captain…OH! Hello!" Cid grinned back at Vincent. "Yeah. You remember Vin, right?" "Of course I do!" Shera beamed, smiling. Vincent shrank, feeling guilty for some reason.  
"Hello, Shera…" He said softly. "Hey! C'mon, woman!" Shera jumped, smiled up at Cid and ran off.  
"I'll fix you some tea, then!" She caroled back. Cid grinned back at Vincent.  
"She seems happier…" Vincent observed for lack of better things to say. Cid laughed. "Yeah, she's got a boyfriend now." He said. Vincent blinked.  
"You?" Cid laughed again.  
"Fuck no, man!" He paused, looking back in the direction Shera had disappeared. "No way… She's like sister…" He shook his head. "I just pay her to help me out since I'm useless on my own." "Oh…" Vincent paused, feeling even more awkward for his blunder. "…Well…Thank you for helping me… I'll be gone in the morning so I won't be a problem for you… I'd hate to damage the respect these people hold for you." Cid's jaw dropped, eyes disappointed. "Tomorrow?!" "Should I leave today instead?" Vincent asked, misinterpreting.  
"No! Can't you stay longer?" Cid winced like he hadn't meant to say it, but Vincent didn't notice it.  
"We will see…" Vincent said, noncommittal. Cid sighed.  
"Alright then…" He led Vincent further inside. "Lets have lunch for now, though, okay?" Vincent nodded in agreement, and followed the pilot in silence.  
  
"Ya sure ya dun wanna come with me?" Cid pleaded. It was well past dinner by now, and he'd been begging Vincent to join him at the downtown bar for an hour.  
"No, I am fine, Cid. Go have your fun. I'll be alright here. I can help Shera clean up a little." "You really wanna do that?!" Cid asked, incredulous. Vincent nodded.  
"I would rather I did. Yes." Cid sighed.  
"Oh, okay… But one of these days, I'm going to convince you to be social for a change." Vincent couldn't answer to that. Cid gave him one last look of 'mark my words' and sauntered out into the night, whistling.  
"You know…" Vincent jumped. He hadn't realized Shera was right behind him. He spun, startled. Shera smiled up at him, un phased by his jumpiness. "I haven't seen him this happy to see anyone in years." She finished. Vincent blinked.  
"Huh?" "He really likes you. You're special to him, Vincent. He considers you one of his dearest friends." Vincent blinked, actually physically stepping back, stunned. Again, he was speechless.  
  
"Why th' hell were you guys pickin' on him like that, huh?!" Cid demanded. It was to the benefit of his indignance on behalf of Vincent, that many of the men harassing Vincent earlier that day were his drinking buddies. The man beside him gaped.  
"The hell you mean?! You see that guys' eyes?! The hell was he, anyway?" Cid glowered. "Like hell, who gives a shit about what color his eyes are?! That /man/ is no different from you or I, damn it! He was one of the men of Avalanche, and a good man! You nor anyone else has any right-" Cid was standing now, calling out to everyone, because everyone knew exactly what he was talking about. "-to give Vincent Valentine any shit for the way he looks. He's been through more crap that all of us put together for the last six generations, and he's still one of the best people I've ever met. I'm fuckin' honored to consider him a friend, and if I hear about any of you givin him more shit, yer gunna get a fuckin rocket launched up yer ass!" That said, Cid stormed out of the bar to let his 'buddies' think on what he'd said.  
  
Returning home, Cid found Vincent asleep on the couch, curled up in a childish, innocent manner that made Cid's heart crack.  
"Damn…" He whispered, scratching his head as he watched the sleeping man. "You can't sleep out here… C'mon…" He carefully lifted Vincent's light form from the lumpy couch and carried him back to his own room. Vincent stirred in Cid's touch, but did not waken. Cid set him into his bed gently, and pulled the covers over his form, and paused as he backed away, smiling down at Vincent with a bittersweet smile. "Sleep well, gorgeous…" With that, he shut the door and slipped out to the living room, curling up onto the couch, still warm from Vincent's body, to sleep there himself.  
  
"Oh, Cid…" Cid woke blearily to Vincent's weak abomination.  
"Eh?" "I know I fell asleep where you lay now, Cid. You didn't have to do that." "Yeah… well, I did it." Cid said, smiling despite how stiff his back was. Vincent stood in silence for a moment.  
"Would you mind… if I stayed here for a while?" Vincent asked softly. "I…don't really have anywhere to go…" Cid smiled.  
"You don't ever have to leave if you don't want to. I'd love it if you stayed." His eyes sparkled, and Vincent didn't miss it. Vincent graced Cid with a rare smile.  
"Thank you…" "No... thank you."  
  
End.  
  
AN: ...SEE?! UTTERLY POINTLESS! HAHAHAH! I'm dieing... gah. lol. oh well. Heh. Couldn't sleep and thought this up, and wrote it down. blegh. :) I'm sooo....tired.... lol. excuse any mistakes. My brain melted sometime during PSYCH 1A today... lol. (fun class) 


	3. So long ago, so far away

So Long Ago, So Far Away  
  
PART 1 A time long past.  
  
The streets of Midgar were busy, as always. It didn't matter how much trouble other pedestrians were having moving through the crowds, he never had a problem. People practically dove to get out of his way, eyes wide and scared, movements quick and sloppy as the he parted the crowd. He didn't want it, didn't like it, and really, had anyone asked, he was a pretty nice guy. However, the blue uniform, polished shoes, and matching tie gave him away for what he was, and that terrified the public. As a Turk, it was his duty to do all the little bits of slimy dirty work for the President. Dirty work for the President was dirty, because it usually ended in several large blood splatters. Or worse. He refused to admit he liked it, that it was simply his job, and because of what entailed his job, also his life over others'. If he screwed up, like all Turks, he could be assured he would pay with his life.  
He never screwed up, though. More detached from others than even his coworkers, it was easy for him to slide from one job to another. An opened door, a glance, a muffled cry, one shot, and a mess for someone else to clean up.  
It had occurred to him more than once that maybe he didn't want to live this way, didn't want to be labeled a monster, but it was too late to back out now. In fact, there /was/ no backing out….  
"Excuse me! Mister!" He stopped at a slight tug on his navy blue slacks, accompanied by a small voice. He looked around, then finally, straight down. Two huge blue eyes gazed up at him, slightly tinged with fear, but not at him. "Excuse me, can you help me?" He looked around, then back down at the little boy. A few adults nearby were pausing to watch him warily, afraid he'd hurt the little boy. He swallowed. This was bound to get awkward. "…Please? I don't know which way is home from here and I can't see the signs over everybody's head…" The boy went on, pale eyes starting to water a little. He sighed.  
"I guess it would be hard." He said, bending down to look the boy in the eye. "Here, come sit on my shoulders, and I'll get you in the right direction." The boy's face lit up and he hurried, stepping up onto one blue clad knee, then scrambled up onto the Turks' shoulders. Dust covered shoes scuffed the immaculate suit, but it was ignored. His looks didn't have to be perfect. Only his killing skills.  
"Wow, you're tall." The boy commented, looking around. "Wow! I can see all over the place up here!" He added excitedly. The Turk smiled softly.  
"Which way?"

"Huh?" "Which direction do you need to go to get home?" The Turk asked gently.  
"Um…" The boy looked around, still propped up high on the kind stranger's shoulders. "Oh no! I don't know!" The boy's voice rose in pitch in his alarm.  
"Where do you live? I can probably get you home from here." The Turk offered.  
"Um…District Three…" The boy seemed to think. "Yea! District Three!" The man nodded. "Whoa!" The boy clung to his shoulders, startled, as the Turk started to move through the crowd again, now in a new direction. He had no problem with helping the child, as he had nowhere else to be at the moment anyway. Yes, he was on a job, but a long term one, and it would be a while before his intelligence sources would be able to get back to him.  
"So… how old are you?" He asked after a few moments of silence. He was nervous about being seen with the kid, as willing as he was to help, because of what people might think, but he knew he should at least talk to him.  
" 'M six!" The boy declared proudly. "Jus' turned in February!" The Turk nodded. Spring had just started. He turned down another street, walking briskly. District Three was only a few blocks from where he'd found the boy, but Midgar was a large city, full of people and obstacles, and it was quite understandable how someone so small had gotten lost so quick.  
"And you were out all alone?"

"Yep." "And your parent's weren't worried?"

"Naah. Mum's not home much, 'n dad works in another town somewhere…So I get the whole day to myself!" The man in the blue suit frowned. He didn't believe that parents should abandon their children so quickly. But he did not tell the boy this. He turned another corner. "Wow! We're almost there! You're fast! Thanks!" The Turk smiled, probably for the first time in months, deep sapphire eyes sparkling.  
"Yeah. Long legs." He said.  
"Yeah…" The boy looked down. The ground seemed miles away to him. Then he looked up again, eyes brightening again. "Hey! That's my house!" He pointed to a modest home… now looking relatively neglected, and dark, proving no one was home, even this late in the afternoon. He lifted the boy off his shoulders and set him on the ground. "Oof… Thanks!" The boy ran towards his house, got halfway there, then paused, and turned to run back. "HEY!" The Turk paused -he'd already been turning around to leave. "What's your name, Mister?" He turned around fully.  
"Vincent." The boy smiled.  
"Thanks a lot, Vincent!" He said, grinning up brightly. "I'm Cid." Vincent quirked a smile.  
"You stay out of trouble, Cid." He said, ruffling the boy's blonde hair lightly.  
"I will…" the boy said. "Mum says I'm too clever for my own good…but I try to be good…" Vincent laughed.  
"Well, so long as you try, right?" "Yeah." Vincent turned to walk away, glancing back to see the boy still standing in front of his house, waving. "BYE!" Vincent waved lightly back, and then disappeared into the crowd again.  
  
Vincent sighed, thinking about the blue-eyed boy. His mother was right, he was clever, extremely so, but it distressed Vincent that he had returned to an empty house. I wonder if he even knows what his father looks like…? /Or/ his mother, for that matter…He had the faint urge to find his parents and bash their heads together for the sake of their son. They better be proud of him…He thought as he slipped into his hotel room, a while later, still thinking about that shining, innocent face. That boy had been the only person who hadn't gazed at him in fear that he'd seen…in… Vincent paused. He didn't remember when it was last someone hadn't shot him some sort of scared or angry or similar look. He sighed, kicking off his polished shoes, and setting them down neatly by his bed, loosening his tie and shirt, hanging his blazer on a chair before sinking into the small, squeaky hotel room bed. He wondered briefly how the boy…damn, forgot the kids name already… how he was doing, before dozing off quickly.  
  
A week later, and Vincent found himself still stuck in Midgar, again pushing through a startled crowd.  
"Aah! No! Stop it!" Vincent paused as he passed an alley, hearing the small voice. "Ouch! No!" More pained cries, and what sounded like laughter. Vincent crept into the greasy shadows, sharp eyes piercing the darkness to make out several figures surrounding a much smaller one, huddled against a dumpster and the nearby wall. Several of the larger boys had makeshift weapons like pipes and large sticks or bats. One was still throwing rocks. They ignored Vincent.  
"Haha! Ya stupid little wimp!" The larges of the gang of boys kicked the small figure again, making the younger cry out. Vincent's eyes widened as he spotted a glimpse of pale blue, and blonde hair under the bruised and cut arms covering his face.  
"HEY!" Vincent snapped, drawing the attention of every boy in the alley. "What the hell do you think you're doing?! Leave him alone!"

"Aww, screw off, mister! We're busy!" Said the apparent leader. Vincent's face hardened into something viciously dark. He pulled out his trusty pistol, cocked the hammer, and pointed it at the leader. The boy's dark eyes widened in fear, and he froze.  
"I think not." Vincent said darkly. "Get the hell out of here and leave the kid alone." The entire gang stood frozen. "NOW!" Vincent demanded, raising his voice sharply. They all turned and ran. Vincent smiled down at the boy, and opened the cartridge to the pistol, spinning it. It was empty. "Sometimes…" He began as he bent down to help the boy up. "All you need is a good bluff." He pulled out a handkerchief and started wiping the dirt and bits of blood off the boy's hands, arms and face. It was indeed the same boy he'd helped the day before. "Found yourself in trouble again, did you?" The boy shrugged, sky-blue eyes narrowing.

" 'm used to it." He said, shrugging. Vincent frowned.

"You should try running away. Its safer." He advised.  
"I dun run away from nuthin!" The boy said stubbornly.

"Not even when you're outsized, out numbered, and unarmed?" Vincent pointed out. The boy crossed his tiny arms, looking stubborn, but did not respond. Vincent sighed. "You hungry?" Bright eyes looked up at him hopefully. Vincent smiled. "C'mon, I'll buy you some ice cream." He said. He pulled off his jacket, leaving him in his shirt and tie, hoping to conceal the uniform a little, and swung it over his shoulder.  
  
Ice cream turned out to be hotdogs, a movie, and then ice cream. Again, after hours of play, Vincent found himself taking the boy home to an empty house. Cid was running around in front of him, making motor noises through his lips, playing with a toy plane he'd received with his meal at the theater. Vincent was watching him lazily, walking slowly behind the energetic boy, gazing down at a series of photos they'd taken together. It was a long strip of four small wallet sized photos. In two of the pictures, it was only one or the other, but the other two were portrait perfect with the playmates as a duo. Both were sitting together in the small booth, smiling happily in one, and in the other, Cid was pulling Vincent's usually relatively serious face into a cheesy grin. It had worked, and Vincent was grinning goofily like a teenager. Vincent snorted as he looked down into the pictures. He could see in his own portrait that even with all the fun he'd had that day with the boy, there was still a hollow glaze in his eyes that the youngster couldn't possibly see, so early on in life. Up ahead of him, Cid had paused in his play to look back at Vincent.  
"What's wrong?" Vincent started at the innocent question.  
"Huh?"

"You seem sad."

"A little bit," Vincent admitted. "I'm going to have to leave soon and go home to a place I don't like. I enjoyed having a little fun with you today." Cid smiled.  
"Thanks. I had fun too….So…you're going away?" He added sadly.  
"Yeah. I have to leave tomorrow."

"Why?" "My job. Its what I do. I move around a lot. I have to."

"Oh…" The boy looked down, saddened. "Well…Don't forget me, ok?" He asked after a moment of thoughtful silence. Vincent smiled sadly, nodding.  
"I won't. Here-" He pulled out a pocket knife and split up the four photos, giving Cid the picture of himself, and one of the two of them together. "You take a picture of me, and this one, and I'll keep the one of you and the other." Cid nodded, taking the offered mementos. Vincent took his own and carefully placed them in his wallet before looking back down at the young boy. Cid's eyes were watering sadly.  
"I like you. I don't want you to go." He said around a sniff or two, and ran foreword, hugging Vincent around the knees. Vincent didn't like to be touched by anyone, but found himself melting. He knelt down, allowing for a more proper hug. Cid rushed up, throwing his arms around Vincent's neck and burying his face against his jaw, leaning into the man. "Thank you…" He said softly. "Thank you for helping me and saving me and thank you for the movie and ice cream…" He said this all very quickly, in one run-on sentence that Vincent barely caught, but he did, and he smiled.  
"Thank you for being a friend." He said, standing again as Cid finally let go. "I was lonely, but now I know I have a friend." The boy smiled.  
"Yeah, me too. I won't forget you, either." He said, eyes misting up. His lip began to tremble, and he turned and ran back to his house at full speed, yelling over his shoulder, "Bye!" Vincent watched the tiny figure disappear inside, then turned and walked off.  
  
PART 2Friends once more  
  
"This place is creepy…." Cloud Strife looked around, weapon at the ready.  
"We fucking went to all that trouble for /this/?!" Cid demanded, walking up behind the shorter blonde. Cloud shrugged. "This is weird." Cid added, lighting a cigarette.  
"Do you have to smoke in here?!" Yuffie, a slight, spunky, loud mouthed teenager, used every chance she could to harass Cid. Cid shot a weak glare over at her. He didn't feel like any recreational fighting right now. "I know its fun to bitch kid, but not right now. This place is too fuckin creepy." Yuffie nodded, fidgeting with her shruiken. The walked together in a bunch, into the dusty room.  
"Oh, great. Coffins." Cloud muttered. He walked into the room, followed closely by Cid. Yuffie hung back by the door, looking anxious. Cloud wandered off to one corner, trying to ignore the coffins, but Cid, curious as ever, lifted the lid to the one closest to him, resting dead center of the darkened room. Cloud turned around in time to see the pilot lift the lid of the coffin.  
"What the he--"

"HOLY SHIT!" Cid yelped, cutting Cloud off.  
"What?!" "This one's alive!" Red eyes were staring blearily up at Cid with a sort of vague sadness and irritation. The look startled Cid for some reason, stirring something deep inside him like a forgotten dream trying to resurface. However, it was completely missed, due to the fact that Cid was too stunned to even move, let alone focus on his innermost feelings.  
  
"Aww, Hell, c'mon, Vin!" Cid cried, pulling on his 'friend's' arm. "Live it up, man!" Vincent frowned. He didn't like the Golden Saucer. He didn't like the noise or the people or the garish colors, or the fact that Cid was half drunk and calling by that /idiotic/ nick name again.  
"I don't want to." Vincent said stubbornly, pulling his arm away from Cid. "You're drunk." Cid frowned, suddenly sobering.  
"Am not, I'm just trying to /have a good time/." He said flatly. Vincent blinked. "The world's gunna end, maybe, and I wanna live it up!" Cid said, voice almost angry in its intensity. It left Vincent stunned into passiveness.

"I suppose you're right…" Vincent said hesitantly.  
"Ya know, I barely remember this now, but when I was a kid, I got lost in the middle of Midgar. I couldn't call my parents: My father worked in Kalm, and lived there almost twenty-four, seven, and My mom worked in the ShinRa headquarters and didn't get home to nearly ten every night. I was only about six years old, and I couldn't find my way home, but some random guy off the streets helped me home. A week later, he saved me from a mob of punks that had decided it would be fun to beat the living shit out of the first little kid they could find-Yours truly. He chased them off-" About this point, something hit Vincent: This was incredibly familiar… But still, it wasn't quite ringing a bell. "- and you know what he did? He took me out to the movies and ice cream, and I had the day of my life. My folks were never around to have fun with me, but this random guy gave me a day to live like a real kid. I learned to have a little more fun after that…" Cid went distant for a moment. "I remember telling him I wouldn't forget him, and I haven't. I still keep telling me I'll find that guy someday…but damn…he could be dead by now…and all I have is an old, worn out picture… I don't even remember his name… I wouldn't even remember the face if I didn't have a picture to help me remember…" a strain of regret had hit Cid's voice.  
"I wonder…" Vincent said softly, forgetting his displeasure with Cid. He looked back up at the pilot. "You still have that picture?" He asked. Cid blinked.  
"Well, yeah… I do, actually. Even after all this time… Keep it in my wallet…" He pulled out a worn old leather wallet, and withdrew a pair of even more heavily worn photos. He gave a sad smile down to them before handing both over reverently to Vincent. Vincent took the photos, and nearly dropped them again.  
"My god…" Vincent whispered, holding the two images in the palms of his shaking hands.  
"What?" Cid asked, alarmed by Vincent's strange reaction. Vincent handed Cid his photos back and pulled out his own wallet.  
"Somehow, Hojo overlooked these…" He pulled out a pair of small papers from his own wallet, and handed them to Cid.

"Holy…fucking…shit…" Cid murmured, gazing down at an image of himself at six years old. His hand was shaking badly. He flipped out the second photo, gazing down at it. He looked at the image of the man with his childhood self, back up at Vincent, then carefully, using his fingers, covered the mans' face a little along the sides, the way Vincent's hair concealed his. "Shit… Vincent…" Cid whispered, looking back up. "It was…you… you… oh god…" Cid was going through a strange sort of slow- motion break down, sinking towards Vincent, as the revelation hit him like a cinder block to the chest. He reached foreword, gripping Vincent around the forearms, struggling for balance.  
"Cid…" Vincent tried his best to support Cid as the man fell foreword into his own body, trembling. "Cid…pull it together…" Vincent said, shaking the man.  
"You… yes… of course…" Cid choked, lifting tear filled eyes. "I should have known sooner…" He whispered. "I felt it… I just… didn't… believe what my instincts told me… I never forgot you all those years… Not once. If I felt myself start to forget, I drug it all back up again… Vincent… I…" Cid shook his head, pulling himself up a little. "I started having dreams, about finding that person from so long ago… Only in the last month. Every night. It all seemed so far away, but… here you are now… I don't think you could possibly know this, but you made me a lot of what I am…just because you were the only influence I had at that time…" Cid laughed dryly. "I still have that little plastic plane, too." Vincent spared a small smile.

"You loved that thing." he said softly.

"I loved it because it came from you." Cid answered, looking up into crimson eyes. After a shaky moment of uncertainty, he pushed Vincent's hair out of his eyes. "You haven't changed…Not really…" Vincent swallowed, then glanced around at several people staring.  
"We need to talk…somewhere else." He said quickly, catching Cid's hand and pulling the slightly shorter man along after him. After a moment, Cid caught up to reality and followed willingly, and Vincent dropped his arm.  
  
Back in their hotel room, Vincent shut the door behind them both, and turned back to Cid, seated on the edge of one of the two beds, gazing up at Vincent, his eyes that same shade of sky blue, and suddenly shining with that same innocence. He extended his hand to Vincent, and after a moment of confusion, Vincent noticed his photos in the outstretched hand. He took them carefully, noticing that Cid's fingers extended to brush his as he took the ancient monuments of a past lifetime.  
"Cid…" Cid's eyes were glazed and distant, but pouring into Vincent's. Vincent could see every part of the gruff pilots' soul through them, and he wasn't sure he felt entirely comfortable with all he saw. "It wasn't just the you of the past, Vincent… Since we found you… since we met… I…" He licked his lips, mouth dry. "You… I… shit…." Vincent came to sit down next to Cid. Cid paused, looking up into Vincent's eyes again. Their eyes locked for a long eternity, looking through each other. Suddenly, Cid lunged, wrapping his arms around Vincent's neck, burying his face under the taller man's chin, causing Vincent to gasp sharply. Slowly, Vincent relaxed, moving to rest his hand on Cid's shoulder, patting it gently. Cid sighed.  
"So." Vincent began, making Cid jump, and pull away. "Who do you love? Me, or the man who kept you from getting beat up nearly thirty years ago?" He looked down at Cid, eyes serious. "There /is/ a difference Cid. I don't just look different. You should know that." Cid nodded, straightening up. He raised a calloused hand, pushing Vincent's hair out of his face, and drawing his palm across Vincent's narrow jaw line.

"You." Cid answered softly, eyes watering. His face was inches from Vincent's, but he didn't move foreword, as much as he wanted to. Vincent kept his eyes locked with Cid's. "Go on." Vincent whispered. At that split moment in time, Cid's heart nearly broke three ribs with the power behind its frantic thumping. His head spun, and he felt like he couldn't breathe, and it seemed like no matter how hard he tried, he could only focus on Vincent, and nothing else. He couldn't have asked for anything better. It was a light kiss, gentle, and honest, a light brush of the lips, good enough for both men. Cid didn't pull back, and Vincent didn't complain as Cid sank against his shoulder, cradling the blonde's head against his cheek.  
"I promised I wouldn't forget you…"

... :) this is probably my favorite thus far... I might take this one and run with it...I duno... :) The title of this fic is also that of a song by Jon Anderson and Vangelis...its copywrite them, but it fits...so... :) shrugs there you have it.


	4. Rock My World

Rock My World

"Huwah?" Cid blinked, breath catching. This wasn't good. Not at all. In fact, it

was the worse time conceivable to zone out. Still that's what the pilot had been doing.  
"I /said/ I need to get past you." Vincent said, just the slightest tang of irritation

seeping into his voice. Cid grimaced. "I think I can get us out of here, but I can't do it from

here."

Ok. Rehash: Cid didn't know exactly what had happened. It was all a horrible

blur, but one minute he, Vincent and Cloud had been exploring this tunnel, only to be attacked

by bats. Bats, of all things. Cid decided that he hated bats, in that instant. Cloud, all powerful

as he thought he was, had had the clever idea of casting ULTIMA in an enclosed, unstable

space. A flash of green-white light, a loud bang and a rockslide later, and Cloud was on the

side of the gigantic pile or rocks that led outside, while Cid, and Vincent…well, weren't.  
At least the fucking bats are gone… He had to hand it to Cloud, there. And

he had to hand it to Vincent, for the gunslinger had probably saved him from being pummeled

into the ground. Of course, somehow, being pinned under Vincent instead of a pile of rocks

had somehow had something of the same effect on Cid. That is to say that he was barely

functioning now, mentally or physically, not because he was injured in any way save for a

small scrape or two on his elbows, but because a certain somebody's hips had been firmly

pressed against his in the brief split second before they both got up and had to assess the

situation.  
It wasn't good. It was a narrow, single-file passage way to begin with, one that in

places, Cid had had to turn and shimmy sideways because his shoulders were too broad to

move normally. And now -Cid swallowed- Vincent was squeezing past him, hands up, face

turned politely, but it didn't do much good in the situation.  
Cid shivered as Vincent's thighs swept across his, the man's angular face only

centimeters from his own.  
Of course, Vincent was utterly oblivious. Cid had made sure of that. He'd

accused the sudden beading of sweat on his forehead to claustrophobia, and Vincent had

been surprisingly understandable. Cid swallowed hard, Vincent's unruly hair falling over his

shoulder and brushing Cid's neck lightly. Then he was past, and Cid nearly collapsed, knees

watery.  
"Highwind?" Cid didn't respond, was staring into the almost-total dark dazedly.

Two glowing crimson eyes turned towards him in the dark, almost bright enough for Cid to

see their surroundings by clearly. He knew Vincent had incredible night vision, and could only

guess that the mako glow only added to it. Still, now he was caught like a deer in the

headlights, too stunned for his own good. "Highwind…?" Vincent repeated. "CID!" Cid

jumped, gasping, snapped out of his reverie. He turned to face Vincent, eyes wide. "… Are

you alright, Cid?" Vincent asked, voice soft. Cid swallowed dryly, nodding.  
"Yeah, V-Vin. I'm fine." He said, wincing as he stuttered slightly. Vincent turned

away from what he'd been doing to move back to Cid, eerie eyes filled with sudden concern.

He raised his human hand, placing the back of it to Cid's forehead. Cid's breath caught at the

touch, and he pushed his eyes shut.  
"Cid, you should sit down. You'll have more space that way…" Vincent said

gently. Cid took a shuddering breath. Fucking Shiva, he'd never heard the other man's voice

so gentle. Shit…He felt guilty, that he'd lied about the claustrophobia. Truth be told, he

was quite comfortable in tight spaces. It reminded him of his work in the Rocket, the good

days…  
"Vin…?" He said shakily.  
"Hm?" He caught a flash of red as Vincent turned back to face him.  
"….You don't have to be worried about me." Cid began stiffly. "I'm not

claustrophobic. I'll be fine. Don't worry, alright?" There was a pause and Cid was sure

Vincent had just arched an eyebrow at him, though he couldn't see much more than Vincent's

eyes, and the bridge of his nose and cheekbones, a few strands of ebony hair that caught the

light from his eyes just right. It was very macabre to see, in otherwise total blackness.  
"Then what's wrong?" Vincent asked after a moment. "You're a wreck." He

added. Cid let out a shaky sigh.  
"I'm fine. Hey, do you need any help?" He said, steeling himself mentally, trying to

pull everything back together.  
"No…" Vincent began, walking towards him. "Just…. Get back a little, okay?"

Cid backed up several feet, even as Vincent followed his every step, pushing him back.

Finally, Vincent stopped, putting a hand to Cid's shoulder to hold him back as well. Cid saw

a small flare of green light, and suddenly a brilliant flash of heat and light accompanied by a

/very/ loud bang lit the entire tunnel. There was explosion as the fire-charged blast from

Vincent's rifle hit the pile of rock, sending bits of stone flying everywhere. Vincent swore, and

threw his cape up over both of them as again he took Cid to the floor, shielding the pilot's

body with his own. Cid had only enough time to react with a small cry before he hit the

ground, pinned, Vincent crouched over him. Moment's later, the dust seemed to clear,

because Vincent lifted some of his weight off of Cid's shoulders. Cid opened his eyes to look

up into Vincent's, still right over his face. "Sorry." Vincent said softly, grimacing -there was a

dull line of gray light filtering in to improve visibility now, and Cid could make out the other

man's face in proper clarity. Still, Cid was speechless, completely overwhelmed this time, and

shaking badly. Vincent pulled back, pulling Cid up into a sitting position. "Cid?" Cid rubbed

his hands over his face, trying to clear his spinning mind. Too fucking old for this shit…

"Cid." Vincent reached out, catching one of Cid's wrists. "Look at me." Cid obeyed,

reluctantly, making eye contact with Vincent. He hiccupped. Fuck. Just, flipping lovely…

Cid thought, feeling his face heat lightly with embarrassment. He looked back up still

grimacing, and his breath caught, as Vincent's eyes bored into his own, pinning him where he

sat, holding his breath. Vincent's eyes were too keen for Cid's comfort. "Forgive me if I'm

wrong, but…" Vincent trailed off, lifting his human hand to Cid's face, running a thumb across

Cid's cheekbone, just under his eye. Cid closed his eyes, letting a shuddering breath out, his

through catching several times. He was beginning to lean into the touch when his eyes

snapped open again.  
"Shit!" He leapt up, heart thundering in his chest, horrified at being caught so

easily. Vincent planted a hand firmly on his chest, stopping his retreat almost before it begun.  
"It's alright, Cid." He said softly, bringing his hand back up to Cid's shoulder,

rubbing it lightly to soothe the other man. Cid swallowed, and simply stared, wide eyed and

startled as Vincent's hand trailed up his shoulder to caress his face again, slender fingers

dipping into his hair lightly, catching on the elastic band to his flight goggles before pulling

away. His eyes widened more, nearly bugging out, as Vincent leaned foreword slightly, face

extremely close, /too/ close to be casual.  
"Hey!" Cid jumped a mile, probably could have reached orbit if Vincent hadn't

been holding him down. Vincent spun around too, and both men could see Cloud's face

poking through the tire-sized hole in the pile of rock that Vincent's blast had made.  
"You guys alright?" Cloud called back, utterly oblivious to what had just

happened between Vincent at Cid.  
"Yes, we're fine, Cloud. A little shaken, perhaps, but fine." Vincent called back.

Cloud nodded.  
"Do you need any help?"  
"No, we're fine. Go on and go ahead, we'll catch up. It'll probably take us a

minute to squeeze out of here, but we'll manage. No point in waiting, though." Cloud nodded,

taking this as perfectly reasonable. Cid still sat, utterly silent, in what he now realized was a

rather large pile of rubble.  
"Alright, then." And Cloud disappeared.  
Cid watched in amazement as Vincent suddenly sank against the wall, letting out a

shuddering sigh of his own, running a hand through his hair. Just as quickly, Vincent turned

back to Cid.  
"You alright?" He asked. Cid nodded dumbly. Vincent sighed, looking back

towards the almost too-small hole that meant their escape, then back to Cid. He smiled, just

slightly, but he might as well grinned, because it was utterly foreign to Vincent's face, and it

made Cid smile too, albeit reluctantly. Vincent noticed this, and let out a small snort of

amusement. "C'mon, Highwind." He said, putting out a hand to help Cid up. Cid swallowed,

taking the man's hand, and let himself be pulled up. His knees might as well have been made

of jell-o. He stumbled once, Vincent caught him, and half dragged him closer to daylight, and

Cid simply leaned, back burning where Vincent's arm crossed it.  
"Uh…Vin…" Cid began into sudden silence.  
"Yes, Highwind?"  
"I uh… I mean…um… ah….shit…." Cid struggled. Vincent chuckled lightly, and

turned Cid to face him. Cid reeled lightly, really not sure what the hell was going on anymore.  
"Its alright, Cid." Vincent repeated, and simply pulled Cid foreword, kissing his

forehead lightly. Cid felt his cheeks burn, his heart flutter, but managed a small smile.  
"…Thanks." He choked. Vincent didn't respond, as they both turned back

towards the uncomfortable squeeze ahead of them.  
"You first." they chimed in unison.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wow. I didn't even think of that. Just...wrote it. lol. Wanted to write a shortie. :) and haven't

had any good Valenwinds lately, so... (shruggs) hey. It was there.

I also want to note that if any of you other writers out there see something here

you want to work with, maybe as an idea for a more fulfilling story, please, be my guest! I

would LOVE to see what some of you might do with the barest inklings of ideas that I seem to

be coming up with. Go ahead, take the credit, just let me see the finished product! :) :)  
(smiles)  
MRE


	5. Rain

**Disclaimer:** I do not own FFVII, Cid, or Vincent, The Highwind (sadly sniffle )or Cid's house. (lol)

**Warning:** For those of you who didn't catch this BEFORE, this is YAOI/SHONEN-AI. If you're not into boy-boy fluff, go away. I'm a starving artist and don't really feel like taking shit from anyone right now. **Also**: Stronger language in this fic, so be ware. Finally, this 'chapter' of Valenwind Chronicles is a SEPARATE STORY. They all are! AU to each other, and completely unrelated, except for the Cid x Vincent goodness. Got it? Good. Enjoy!

**Rain**

"Aaw, fuck, it's raining!" Cid stepped onto the bridge of the _Highwind_ to see rain plastering the main window heavily. A few crewmembers on duty actually muttered a few apologies, as if they could control the weather, to the Captain. Cid grunted, shrugging it off. He didn't like the rain, but he knew they couldn't help it. It was well into February, and it was just a fact of life for Cid that it rained in February.

Cid didn't like February much, and he was glad it was a short month. 'Fucking February,' he called it. At least it had the sense to be a short month, that's all he could say. He glared irritably out the window for a moment before turning back. The _Highwind_ would be landing soon, and after a mad dash through the rain, he would be back in his house with a hot cup of black tea, a blanket, his bed, and the TV.

"Highwind." The hair on the back of Cid's neck rose a little as he bit back a shiver. Okay. Maybe not TV and bed. Cid turned to face Vincent Valentine with a dull look.

"Rain isn't so bad, Highwind." Vincent said softly, having apparently heard Cid. Cid grunted, shrugging.

"Alright, you say that when you have to go out there just like I do." Cid said with a smirk. Vincent had been staying with Cid since AVALANCHE broke up after Meteor, seeing how Vincent hadn't had anywhere to go, and Shera had moved back in with her mother, who, Cid heard, was now on her deathbed.

Vincent smirked at Cid.

"I don't mind it now, and I won't mind it when I must pass through the rain, either, Highwind." Cid gave a low grunt.

"Whatever." Cid led the way through the _Highwind_ as it settled down above a landing pad just outside of Rocket Town, pausing to brace himself while he was still under the safe shadow of his plane, rain pattering roughly all around. "Okay, on three, we jump, and run like hell until we get to my house, right?" Cid said to Vincent, glancing back at his darkly clad companion. Vincent gave Cid a dull look even as Cid braced himself.

"You'll only get yourself even wetter if you run, Highwind."

"Bullshit! You get to shelter faster, dumb ass!"

"True, but you also come into more contact with the rain. You run right into it." Vincent countered, ignoring the 'dumb ass' comment. Cid rarely meant the insults he threw.

"BULL!" Cid countered again. Vincent raised an eyebrow.

"Alright. You run all you want and I'll see you there. Enjoy your shower." With that, Vincent leapt off the deck of the giant airship to the landing pad below, and sauntered off through the rain and a steady, controlled pace, shoulders erect, head held high. Cid scrunched up his face as he squinted after Vincent in mixed awe and irritation. Vincent Valentine was welcome to go and get his ass soaked to the bone. Cid thought Vincent was handsome as it was… wet, he'd be downright sexy. Cid shivered again, trying to push back those thoughts. He swore sometimes that Vincent was telepathic, and he didn't really want the tall man to pick up on his infatuation with him…

Shrugging, Cid leapt over the railing as well, flipping twice before landing almost to where Vincent was, breaking into a dead sprint towards his house, leaving Vincent in his dust.

Vincent smirked as Cid shot off past him, head down, body slanted, arms pumping. He had to admit Cid was an impressive runner… too bad it wouldn't do him much good. Shrugging, Vincent went on his way.

It didn't take Vincent long to reach Cid's house. He was able to skirt under a few overhangs belonging to shops he passed, and arrived at Cid's doorstep with damp hair and wet shoulders.

Cid stood in the doorway, shivering, soaked head to toe, a towel draped over his head, still wiping his face. Stepping past the shorter man, Vincent nearly slipped in the puddle of rain water gathering around Cid's heels.

"You're wet." Vincent commented, voice low and deadpan. He shrugged off his cloak, shaking a few stray rain droplets from his hair, and went back to smirking at Cid.

"Yes… It's /raining!" Cid squeaked irritably. Cobalt eyes narrowed. "How the hell did you stay so fuckin' dry, Vin!"

"I walked."

"THE FUCK? You /are/ a vampire, aren't you!" Cid squawked indignantly. Vincent gave him a stern frown, not justifying an answer, before tugging at Cid's sodden jacket.

"You might want to go put some dry clothes on, Highwind." Cid glowered at Vincent a moment before turning on his heel and sloshing down the hall to his room without a word. Vincent smiled wryly to himself, watching Cid. Sighing, Vincent wandered into the kitchen, setting a pot of water to boil. Cid was going to need his tea.

Left only to wait, Vincent went and settled down onto the couch in the front room, lounging casually. This was how Cid found him as he returned, now dressed heavily in sweats and a sweater, a large blanket wrapped tightly around his shoulders. His teeth were still chattering, and Vincent sighed, feeling sorry for the pilot.

Vincent could have had icicles hanging from his nose, and the cold wouldn't have bothered him, but the Ex-Turk swore that Cid couldn't take anything less than eighty degrees. Now Cid settled stiffly onto the couch beside Vincent, eyes fixed straight ahead, body rigid. Vincent sighed, standing and crossing to the kitchen, catching the kettle just as it was beginning to whistle.

Cid's teeth weren't chattering quite as badly by the time Vincent returned to him with a cup of tea, but as soon as the pilot caught sight of the steaming mug in Vincent's cup, blue eyes lit up like topaz suns, gratitude crossing his harsh features, softening them gently. Vincent returned the smile in a much more subdued manner as Cid took his tea, nearly downing the whole thing in two gulps. He sighed, sitting back.

"Thanks, Vin…" He murmured, setting the teacup aside and settling back on the couch, wrapping his blanket a little tighter around himself. Vincent only smiled.

"You're so pathetic, Highwind."

"Fuckin' hate the rain. Fuckin' hate Fucking February." Cid muttered darkly. Vincent gave him a soft look.

Isn't today your birthday?Vincent mused quietly. He hadn't said anything. He didn't think he was supposed to know. Actually, Vincent knew he wasn't supposed to know, but a young man- one of Cid's crew- had caught Vincent alone in an obscure, empty hallway, and told him so.

'It's the Captain's birthday, Mr. Valentine… I don't think he wants anyone to know, but please, if you can, could you try and have something nice happen for him? He seems so bitter and lonely…The level of knowledge and understanding in the young man's dark sapphire eyes had disturbed Vincent, and at the time, he'd only nodded softly in acknowledgment.

But why…?Why had he been pulled aside, and not someone else? Vincent was pulled from his reverie as Cid shivered again, curling in on himself slightly. Looking over at his friend, he saw that Cid appeared to be in deep thought, possibly a mental debate, features drawn and almost pained looking.

"…Cid?" Vincent asked. Cid's face snapped up to look at him, baby blue eyes wide.

"Uh…" Cid's cheeks reddened slightly, and suddenly, something clicked in Vincent. Cid had been clinging to Vincent's heels for ages, dragged the Ex-Turk along everywhere with him, opened his house to him. Vincent had been glad for a friend, and what could almost be a place called home. Cid had always bathed Vincent in warmth, doting on him and caring when no one else would.

'…he seems so bitter and lonely…' lonely… Oh…Vincent smiled, realizing just what the young man on the _Highwind _had been hinting at. Vincent turned to Cid with warmth in his eyes and a smile on his thin lips.

"Still cold?" He asked softly. Cid blinked, the slight coloration in his cheeks fading slightly as he nodded. Vincent gave him a small smile, eyes soft. "Come here, Cid.." Cid blinked, eyes wide and questioning. Vincent sighed, scooting towards Cid instead, carefully wrapping his arms around Cid's shoulders and pulling the smaller man against his chest. Cid went stiff, gasping slightly, startled. Then he melted suddenly, sinking against Vincent with a weak sigh.

"Vin…" Cid began, voice tight.

"Better?" Vincent asked softly, adjusting Cid's blanket so that it came up over the blonde's chin. Cid nodded, but shifted in weak protest.

"Vin, I.." He tried again.

"Shush." Vincent said softly, dipping his chin to rest on Cid's head. "You're warm, I'm comfortable… It's raining and it's a quiet night." Cid shifted slightly in Vincent's grip, rolling onto his side so that his cheek rested against Vincent's chest lightly. Vincent smiled, pulling Cid closer for a moment. Cid turned his face deeper into Vincent's chest, lips working lightly against Vincent's collar in silent worship, a breathless vow of adoration that Vincent could see more than feel. He put a hand to the back of Cid's head, stilling the man. "Cid, relax." Cid shivered once more, curling in on himself and Vincent.

"Relax…Vincent" Cid protested, his unfinished sentence hanging clearly in the air. 'How can I relax like this?' Vincent ran his human hand through Cid's still slightly wet hair, combing it back and soothing the pilot in his arms further.

"Yes, relax. I won't go anywhere, we can talk later." Vincent whispered, even as Cid's eyes fluttered shut as Vincent's wandering hand brushed over his temple. Giving in, Cid managed to untangle his arms from the blanket, reaching up and wrapping them both firmly around Vincent's waist, pulling himself as close as possible to his friend, his grip nearly uncomfortable for Vincent.

Cid could hear Vincent's steady heartbeat under his ear, slow and soothing, and quickly putting him to sleep. Cid felt his awareness drop for a moment, and knew he was nodding off. Blue eyes snapped open as Cid sucked in a sharp breath, looking up at Vincent suddenly, eyes pleading.

"Promise…Vin…?" Vincent looked down at Cid in surprise, certain he'd already fallen asleep, and felt himself wince at the look in the other man's eyes. So scared and desperate. Vincent smiled down at Cid before pulling him back in close.

"I promise Cid. Don't worry." It was all Cid needed, and he quickly fell asleep against Vincent.

When Cid finally began to stir again against Vincent, it was well past dark and the rain had intensified, pummeling at the windows all around him in a rhythmic tone. Vincent liked the sound of rain on windows, especially when he himself was warm and dry. He'd long decided that what he had wrapped around him was far warmer, and far better, than any blanket.

Vincent felt a rush of cold air fold in around him as Cid sat up blearily, blinking sleep-dulled eyes, before looking up suddenly at Vincent. It took a moment, but once Vincent shot him a gentle smile, Cid relaxed again, then shivered, pulling his blanket up around his shoulders again, as tightly as possible. Vincent smiled.

"It's late, we should just go to bed." Vincent said softly, keeping his voice low. Cid blinked, surprised.

"Well, what time is it?" He asked, voice thick from sleep still. It made Vincent smile even more. Cid was a terribly heavy sleeper: Meteor could fall on his bed and it wouldn't wake him up if he wasn't ready to be awoken, and even after he was roused, Cid was slow to come around.

"Not a clue, but it's been dark for quite a while. Dark justifies bed." Vincent informed. Cid yawned widely, nodding since he couldn't manage any intelligible words through the yawn. Vincent stood, noting again just how cold it /was, before bending slightly to pull Cid up off the couch as well. "Come on, Highwind. Move quick and you won't get too cold again." Cid helped pull himself up, and let Vincent steer him through the house and down the hall to his own room.

Cid clung to Vincent's arm as they walked. The raven-haired gunman was still warm, and while Cid's mind was as muddy as his back yard, he knew that something special had happened to have this wish of his granted. Vincent hadn't said a word, but was obviously onto him. Instead, he'd done nothing but bend to Cid's every need with nothing less than a warm smile. Cid wondered briefly why, but then shoved that away, worrying that if he wondered, he would find out that this was only a passing gift, and that tomorrow everything would be back to how it all was yesterday.

Cid came around to reality again, to find himself standing by his own bed, still holding onto Vincent tightly. He sighed, pushing the cold sheets back sadly, before pausing, and turning back to Vincent. Cid figured he was going out on a pretty narrow limb, but he would never forgive himself if he didn't ask.

"Will…you stay?" He asked softly, not daring to meet Vincent's eyes, which were glowing softly in the dark room. Cid knew what he asked of his friend was outrageous, taboo on so many levels, and was ready to be denied, already climbing into bed alone, trying not to visibly shiver against the cold of the unused bed.

"Alright," Vincent said, breaking the silence and startling Cid. Vincent's eyes caught his, a silent question and a final confirmation as Cid scooted over to allow the other man into his bed. Cid's breath caught as Vincent smiled, then quickly pulled off his shirt, boots and headband before slipping in carefully next to Cid.

He kept a respectful distance at first, but then noticed that Cid was desperately trying to inch closer to him without actually making any noticeable movement. Chuckling softly, Vincent simply rolled over, pulling the pilot against his chest and hugging him fiercely.

"No more hiding, Cid." He whispered, causing Cid to gasp again.

"Vincent…" Cid's voice was barely audible, and Vincent could tell that he was scared, not of their situation, but that it may come to an abrupt end later. Vincent held his breath as he leaned foreword to kiss Cid's cheek gently, feeling his own heart flutter breathlessly at the contact. Cid went rigid, holding his breath.

"I'm amazed I didn't notice…" Vincent began softly, "Until someone pointed it out to me…" Cid sat up abruptly.

"WHAT!" Vincent laughed at the harsh outcry, so apart from the tender moment that had just passed.

"You have someone looking out for you, Cid. I was oblivious until today." He pushed Cid back down to the bed, leaning in to kiss him more properly. Cid managed to respond after a few heartbeats, returning the gentle touch in a tentative fashion, short and almost chaste, but filled with emotion. It left Vincent's whole body, let alone his lips, buzzing. "Happy birthday, Cid." Again, a startled sound escaped Cid's lips, and Vincent could see his eyes grow wide in the darkness.

"How!" A pause as Cid decided he didn't really need to know the answer to that. "WaitVin" He began again, voice halting. "This…isn't just… I mean… you…I…" Vincent could hear that Cid's throat was beginning to close.

"No Cid, this isn't just something that will disappear after midnight. Don't be afraid." Again, Vincent pulled Cid back down under the covers, wrapping his arms tightly around Cid, hugging him close. Cid relaxed, turning to face Vincent as he curled against him.

"…Really?" He asked.

"Really." Vincent couldn't help but grin.

"Okay." A pause. "…Thank you." Another, longer pause. Cid was beginning to doze off again. "G'night, Vincent…" Cid shifted, kissing Vincent's chin carefully. "I love you, you know…"

"Love you too, Cid." Vincent said, kissing Cid's head. Cid shivered once, clutching at Vincent tightly, before finally relaxing and falling asleep. Vincent smiled sappily, letting his eyes drift shut.

Happy Birthday, Cid.

OoOoOoOo

AN:

1) No, I'm not back. . This is the most I've been able to write in like six weeks, and hopefully I'll be getting more and more inspiration as I get going again. I'm taking English in college this semester, and it involves a LOT of writing. And not necessarily fun writing either. It's drying me up. (cries) I know I've neglected Lesson Learned, and I'm honestly wondering if I should just edit it down a little and leave it as is for now… I don't know, I just can't abandon that… Well, at worst, this semester will be over some time in late May, and after that I'll have lots of free, inspirational time when I'll probably get back to that fic, if not sooner. Sorry for those of you who were really into it. I'll try to get back to it before that.

2) THIS fic, short n' sweet as it is, is a LATE birthday fic for Cid…his birthday was the 22nd of February for those of you who didn't know. I'd actually had this idea, and started writing BEFORE his birthday, and gotten two or three sentences in, and then DRIED UP…AGAIN. (sulks) So…anyway… gomen nasai, Shido-san. But, it's done now, and at least I've written SOMETHING. (dizzy)

3) Did anyone notice the rather subtle cameo in here? ; )

4) Rocky Horror quote inserted. Did any of you transvestites catch that?

Thanks to all those who haven't given up on me. : )

MRE.


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